Skipping Stones
by awstem
Summary: Something has happened to Malfoy and Harry has been spending time at the edge of the lake. Only my second attempt at a story. Constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated.


Skipping Stones

It was well after curfew and Draco Malfoy was making his way back to the dungeons from the kitchen. He had been wide awake and a little hungry and decided to make his way to the elves for a little midnight snack. Full and beginning to feel sleepy the young Malfoy heir was making his way back to the Slytherin dorms when the quiet of the school and darkness of the hallways started pressing in on him. Draco gave a little shudder as he realized how spooky the school was this late at night. Shaking off his unease and squaring his shoulders as it would be unseemly for a Malfoy to show fear at any time. He never heard or saw the light of the spell that hit him in the back.

The next morning in the Great Hall, Harry Potter sat in his usual spot between Ron and Hermione eating his breakfast of eggs and toast. Bacon was being saved on his plate in case his Familiar, Hedwig decided to make an appearance. His eyes scanning the room he noticed that Draco had yet to make an appearance this morning. Pointing this out to Ron and Hermione they just shrugged, not really knowing where he was or why he was running late.

As the day progressed and the Golden Trio made their way from class to class it became apparent that Draco was nowhere to be found. Harry could not help but comment on how refreshing it was to be able to attend classes without worrying about putting up with the ferret.

At the end of the day during the evening meal the headmaster, Albus too many names Dumbledore stood up to address the school.

"If I could have every ones attention please? Mr. Malfoy has not been seen since late last night. The house elves state he came down for a snack around midnight but left soon after and he has not been seen since. If anyone has any information please contact your Head of House as soon as possible."

This announcement had the entire school buzzing, each student wondering what happened to Malfoy. Later that evening in the common room Ron approached Hermione and asked.

"Have you seen Harry?"

She looked up from her book and replied. "He is down at the lake skipping rocks. He says it helps him relax and gives him a chance to think."

"So, what do you reckon happened to the ferret?" asked Ron.

Hermione gave her friend a piercing look and said, "His name is Draco, and I have no idea. I am sure we will hear something once the teachers find out where he is."

Down at the lake Harry is standing there skipping rocks across the calm waters of Black Lake. In his hand is an assortment of rocks picked for their flat shape that would help them skip across the lake. Looking at one of the rocks, it was similar to all the others but had an unusual marking carved on it. If the Runes teacher had seen it she would be able to tell you immediately that it was a binding rune. A simple rune used to lock or bind something. A door or trunk with this rune would remain locked until the rune was removed, broken or bypassed in some way.

Any first year could tell you that a transfiguration spell was temporary, only lasting as long as the magic was active in the spell. Once that ran out, whatever was transfigured would revert. However what very few people realized was that a transfigured object with the binding rune engraved would lock the object into the transfigured shape and would remain as long as the rune was there.

Drawing back his arm, Harry sent the rock flying in a perfect angle and watched as it skipped across the lake. Making rings in the water as it skipped halfway across, the rock came to a stop and immediately sank out of sight. With the rock now out of sight, Harry could only imagine what it looked like as it sank through the water column. The rock sank deeper and deeper and it eventually comes to rest with the millions of other rocks at the bottom of the lake.

Shaking the dust from his hands Harry made his way back to the common room and finds his friends working on their homework.

"What are you working on?" he asked.

"Transfiguration," replied Ron. "I'm having trouble with animate to inanimate."

"Let me get my books and I will work on it with you. I think I finally have that rabbit to rock and back, down completely."

"Why do we need to learn to turn a rock into a rabbit and back? When am I ever going to need to turn a rabbit into a rock?" complained Ron.

Harry just smiled at his friend and said. "You never know when it will come in handy, so let's get this down and then we can move on to more interesting spells."

Several nights later Severus Snape, Potions Master and all around bastard of Hogwarts was making his way to his rooms. If was well after hours and the school was quiet with the children all asleep. He was returning from a meeting with the Dark Lord, who was in fine form tonight. Angry over the lack of information on the missing Malfoy, he spread the crucios all around. So he was in quite a bit of pain and not really paying attention to his surroundings as he felt safe now that he was back in the castle. Severus never saw or heard the spell that hit him in the back. Magic swirled around the professor and almost instantly there was a semi-flat rock where the potions professor once stood.

After a few minutes of quiet and no one came to investigate what happened, the sound of footsteps could be heard slowly approaching and a shadowy figured reached down and picked up the rock and placed it in a trouser pocket. As the unknown person walked away a sliver of light from a nearby torch illuminated a small portion of the strangers face. The only thing that could be seen was a lightening shaped scar on his forehead as he disappeared under an invisibility cloak.

The next day Harry Potter could be seen standing in his usual spot on the Black Lake skipping stones. Drawing back his arm, Harry sent the rock flying in a perfect angle and watched as it skipped across the lake. Making rings in the water as it skipped halfway across, the rock came to a stop and immediately sank out of sight.


End file.
